Carol was a mess, Rick's parents had all but abused them. They demanded Rick's cell phone which had been given to her along with all his other personal belongings. Joey had realized Merle and Rick were not coming home and was crying for them.
It had been 4 day's and they were getting ready to go to Merle's funeral and they were knocking at the door asking for it.
'No, we will send it to you,' He told them, he shut the door, he was dressed in clothes ready to go. They were going to a small pub after. They stood there blocking the door.
'Look, I'ma on my way to my brothers funeral, I don't know where it is, Carol will send it,' he told them again.
He shut the door in their face locked it, went through to the lounge picked up Joey, Shane was driving them, he locked the door to Merle's room, set the alarm and all but carried Carol out the other door. They walked up the side path out to Shane's car and drove out.
Rick's parents who had been demanding stuff left right and center since they arrived on Friday night. He knew they wanted everything that belonged to Rick, but they couldn't give them everything, give away everything about him. Rick wouldn't want them to know he was one of three guy's living with Carol, it was better this way. Better for them to keep Rick's memory the way they wanted to keep it.
They had gone to Rick's funeral yesterday, Joey on his hip and Carol at his side. Slipping into the back of the church like they were strangers to him not best friends. People standing up giving speeches and stories who didn't know him. Not mentioning once that Rick was one of two men who lost their lives together. It had made them feel bitter. Joey had a toy and flower from the garden.
Many of the police were in dress uniform they were thankful when Shane took Joey with him to put his offerings on Uncle Rick's coffin. Staying with him while he explored it, looking at his photo and looking at the handles. He wanted Uncle Rick, Shane spoke to him quietly then kept him with him while he sat near the front waiting for them to take the coffin out.
Shane was a pall bearer and had Joey help him walk it out to the hearse where Carol picked him back up again. put him on her hip keeping him close. They left then and went out. They couldn't cope with it all. They took Joey to McDonald's then sat nibbling on food not talking drinking coffee and then Daryl climbed into the play stuff with Joey to entertain him for a while.
Carol sat watching them, they come down the slide together, she smiled, then felt bad for smiling. She knew Rick and Merle wouldn't want them sad, she knew they would want them to do the best they could for Joey. They loved Joey, she moved off her seat towards the slide and was standing there clapping after they come down again. Her smile didn't reach her eyes but she was trying. They would want Joey to have a good life.
Merle's funeral was a low key affair, but fun, remembering Merle for being ... well Merle was Merle. They went to a bar after with Joey, feeding him mini hot dogs and fries. They all told stories about the stuff Merle and Rick had done. Shane brought drinks over to the table. His boyfriend Jono was with him. He was pretty good company too. Helpful with everything.
Daryl told some stories of Merle. Joey listened to them talking, climbing onto his Mama's knee cuddling her when she was crying. It wasn't' the best time they ever had but it was good to regroup, talk, relax with people who knew about them. Andrea arrived coming into the pub looking around. She'd been sad, shocked, she'd been working emergency when they brought him in.
She come up hugging Carol, she hugged Daryl and Shane, then said hello to Joey. She brought a round of drinks, juice for her and Carol, Joey. She ordered platters of food, knowing that Carol and Daryl would have been feeding Joey but not themselves. They all had something to eat before finally and oddly feeling a little relaxed. Daryl was talking about Merle and Rick they were able to relax about things. Talking about them.
Daryl was sitting there just starring at Joey, watching him with Carol. He'd fallen asleep on her knee. He had unshed tears in his eyes, then he shifted his eyes to listen to Shane for a moment. Shane was telling them about some stuff he and Rick used to do. Daryl knew they should be talking about them, it was helping, he was trying.
'We should go home,' he told Carol, she nodded, she was tired and emotionally done. She just wanted to sleep with his arms around her. They call cabs to take them home.
They thought about putting Joey in his own bed but Carol wanted him close and they pulled him into bed beside her. Daryl helped get his shoes off and dress pants getting him into their bed. Carol was still a mess, they went and had a shower, he pulled on boxers and a tee shirt. He passed her a tee shirt and she pulled on some boxers and his tee shirt. He helped her into the middle of the bed, she wrapped her arms around Joey, and he wrapped his arms around her. He was hoping tomorrow they could just breath, take a few breath's without their hearts feeling like they were breaking.